December 2025 OBS and Discussion

[Krs4Lfe]

334,000 people across the northeast without power right now. It peaked this afternoon around 400,000. 
winds were quite impressive from this storm lots of reports of 60 mph winds across Queens and Brooklyn, with winds in between 60 to 70 mph across Nassau and Suffolk. Definitely needed a high wind warning for Long Island and probably one for Queens too. Definitely over performed, the national weather service forecast as of last night were winds only up to 45 mph gusts today.

[jm1220]

1 minute ago, Krs4Lfe said:

334,000 people across the northeast without power right now. It peaked this afternoon around 400,000. 
winds were quite impressive from this storm lots of reports of 60 mph winds across Queens and Brooklyn, with winds in between 60 to 70 mph across Nassau and Suffolk. Definitely needed a high wind warning for Long Island and probably one for Queens too. Definitely over performed, the national weather service forecast as of last night were winds only up to 45 mph gusts today.

The hi res models warned about the wind threat today, sometimes it’s a false alarm. It’s pretty messy around my neighborhood and I know others not far away got it worse. We probably gusted 55-60 here. 

[Stormlover74]

Top gust 68

https://partnerservices.nws.noaa.gov/products/cache/354-2025/PNSOKX/268e1cdd1264ce2dab37c6b85780e756?fbclid=Iwb21leAOy4zRjbGNrA7LjHGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHhhfTyqetKSQ1GsViodScme_6nQOEM-uVO1t6XDNSwfJ_GIQ9wyrMJhvhJ2F_aem_Ti7Ft-X_1CWRIHH3beyyqA

[wthrmn654]

And out goes my power,  off, on, off on off. Thank God for a standby generator

[wthrmn654]

I don't see any evidence of fresh salt chunks but all the roads look salty too me and I'm confused how lol. 

[JerseyWx]

51 minutes ago, wthrmn654 said:

I don't see any evidence of fresh salt chunks but all the roads look salty too me and I'm confused how lol. 

I assume they put down more salt to account for the quick temperature drop and freeze up?

Ended up with 1.3" here.  Had some heavy downpours at times.  Got a burst around 3:30pm or so with crazy heavy rain for maybe 3 minutes.

[MJO812]

Another storm signal is around the New years. 

[ForestHillWx]

OT, but I am impressed at how rapidly snowman19 throws a weenie tag on @MJO812.

Initial post was 31 minutes ago, followed by the weenie 26 minutes ago. All happening before 6:00 am on a Saturday  

It’s almost like you guys have each others accounts linked. 

[[email protected]]

48 minutes ago, MJO812 said:

Another storm signal is around the New years. 

Just like every year!

[bluewave]

On 12/5/2025 at 8:20 AM, bluewave said:

Colder start to December fits within the long term trend since 1991. NYC average temperatures have only risen +0.7° in NYC from December 1st to 16th.

But the December 17th to 31st average temperatures over the same period have increased by +4.6°. This matches the streak of 55°+ days every year since 2011 around NYC from the 17th to 25th.

So my guess is that the warmest departures we see this month will occur after the 16th. 
 

 

Time Series Summary for NY CITY CENTRAL PARK, NY highest temperature December 17th through 25th since 2011
Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending.

2024-12-25	59	0
2023-12-25	62	0
2022-12-25	58	0
2021-12-25	60	0
2020-12-25	61	0
2019-12-25	57	0
2018-12-25	61	0
2017-12-25	55	0
2016-12-25	58	0
2015-12-25	72	0
2014-12-25	62	0
2013-12-25	71	0
2012-12-25	56	0
2011-12-25	62	0

 

 

Our annual warm up over 55° between 12-17 and 12-25 was right on schedule. This pattern has become more pronounced over the years. While the general pattern did exist prior to 2011, this is the first 15 year run with no interruption. The last time we didn’t see this warm up was back in 2009 and 2010.

 

Data for December 19, 2025 through December 19, 2025
Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending.

CT	DANBURY MUNICIPAL AP	WBAN	60
NJ	NEWARK LIBERTY INTL AP	WBAN	59
NJ	TETERBORO AIRPORT	WBAN	59
NJ	CALDWELL ESSEX COUNTY AP	WBAN	59
NY	ISLIP-LI MACARTHUR AP	WBAN	59
NY	RIVERHEAD RESEARCH FARM	COOP	59
NY	LAGUARDIA AIRPORT	WBAN	58
NY	NY CITY CENTRAL PARK	WBAN	58
NY	MONTGOMERY ORANGE COUNTY AP	WBAN	58
CT	NEW HAVEN TWEED AP	WBAN	58
CT	MERIDEN MARKHAM MUNICIPAL AP	WBAN	58
NY	FARMINGDALE REPUBLIC AP	WBAN	57
NY	JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT	WBAN	57
CT	IGOR I SIKORSKY MEMORIAL AIRPORT	WBAN	57
NY	WESTCHESTER CO AP	WBAN	57
NY	SHIRLEY BROOKHAVEN AIRPORT	WBAN	57
NY	BAITING HOLLOW	COOP	57
NY	UPTON COOP - NWSFO NEW YORK	COOP	57
CT	NORWICH PUBLIC UTILITY PLANT	COOP	57
NJ	HARRISON	COOP	56
NJ	TETERBORO AIRPORT	COOP	56
NY	ST. JAMES	COOP	56
CT	GROTON NEW LONDON AP	WBAN	56
NY	CENTERPORT	COOP	55

[MJO812]

13 minutes ago, ForestHillWx said:

OT, but I am impressed at how rapidly snowman19 throws a weenie tag on @MJO812.

Initial post was 31 minutes ago, followed by the weenie 26 minutes ago. All happening before 6:00 am on a Saturday  

It’s almost like you guys have each others accounts linked. 

He sets an alarm when I post

[the_other_guy]

1 hour ago, bluewave said:

Our annual warm up over 55° between 12-17 and 12-25 was right on schedule. This pattern has become more pronounced over the years. While the general pattern did exist prior to 2011, this is the first 15 year run with no interruption. The last time we didn’t see this warm up was back in 2009 and 2010.

 

Data for December 19, 2025 through December 19, 2025
Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending.

CT	DANBURY MUNICIPAL AP	WBAN	60
NJ	NEWARK LIBERTY INTL AP	WBAN	59
NJ	TETERBORO AIRPORT	WBAN	59
NJ	CALDWELL ESSEX COUNTY AP	WBAN	59
NY	ISLIP-LI MACARTHUR AP	WBAN	59
NY	RIVERHEAD RESEARCH FARM	COOP	59
NY	LAGUARDIA AIRPORT	WBAN	58
NY	NY CITY CENTRAL PARK	WBAN	58
NY	MONTGOMERY ORANGE COUNTY AP	WBAN	58
CT	NEW HAVEN TWEED AP	WBAN	58
CT	MERIDEN MARKHAM MUNICIPAL AP	WBAN	58
NY	FARMINGDALE REPUBLIC AP	WBAN	57
NY	JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT	WBAN	57
CT	IGOR I SIKORSKY MEMORIAL AIRPORT	WBAN	57
NY	WESTCHESTER CO AP	WBAN	57
NY	SHIRLEY BROOKHAVEN AIRPORT	WBAN	57
NY	BAITING HOLLOW	COOP	57
NY	UPTON COOP - NWSFO NEW YORK	COOP	57
CT	NORWICH PUBLIC UTILITY PLANT	COOP	57
NJ	HARRISON	COOP	56
NJ	TETERBORO AIRPORT	COOP	56
NY	ST. JAMES	COOP	56
CT	GROTON NEW LONDON AP	WBAN	56
NY	CENTERPORT	COOP	55

Remember the year with lots of snow on the ground until the 23 and gone by xmas? That was the ultimate kick in the balls. Lots of ice on the roads 31F

[NorthShoreWx]

30 minutes ago, the_other_guy said:

Remember the year with lots of snow on the ground until the 23 and gone by xmas? That was the ultimate kick in the balls. Lots of ice on the roads 31F

"the year"?  As in it only happened once?

[SACRUS]

28 / 15  - 1.34 in the bucket - buckets , chairs , christmas decorations  everywhere from 48- 52 MPH gusts here, higher elsewhere.   Cold today, warmer Sunday (low 40s), colder Mon / Tue with some light rain/mix/snow showers Tuesday.  Christmas eve through new years eve is overall warm with a day or two colder in between as massive ridge is positioned in the nations midsection with the warmest to our south and west and very cold north east.  Still would watch for a storm in the 30/31st period.  Beyond there near normal / slightly below.  Rain focuses into the west with copious moisture aimed at the WC/California.

 

[SACRUS]

Records:

Highs:

EWR: 61 (2002)
NYC: 60 (2002)
LGA: 61 (1957)
JFK: 57 (1999)

Lows:

EWR: -1 (1942) *earliest sub zero reading at Newark on record
NYC: -4 (1942) 
LGA: -2 (1942)
JFK: 12 (2004)

Historical:

 

1836 - A famous cold wave occurred in central Illinois. A cold front with 70 mph winds swept through at Noon dropping the temperature from 40 degrees to near zero in a matter of minutes. Many settlers froze to death. Folklore told of chickens frozen in their tracks and men frozen to saddles. Ice in streams reportedly froze to six inches in a few hours. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)

1929: An exceptional storm produced snow from the Middle Rio Grande Valley of Texas to southern Arkansas on December 20 - 21st, 1929. The storm produced 26 inches of snow near Hillsboro, Texas, and 24 inches in 24 hours in Clifton.

1942 - An early cold wave sent the temperature plunging to 3 degrees below zero at Nantucket, MA, and to 11 degrees below zero at Boston MA. (The Weather Channel)

 

1977: A "Once in a Lifetime" wind and dust storm struck the south end of the San Joaquin Valley in California. Winds reached 88 mph at Arvin before the anemometer broke, and gusts were estimated at 192 mph at Arvin by a U.S. Geological Survey. Meadows Field in Bakersfield recorded sustained 46 mph winds with a gust of 63 mph. The strong winds generated a wall of dust resembling a tidal wave that was 5,000 feet high over Arvin. Blowing sand stripped painted surfaces to bare metal and trapped people in vehicles for several hours. 70% of homes received structural damage in Arvin, Edison, and East Bakersfield. 120,000 Kern County customers lost power. Agriculture was impacted as 25 million tons of soil was loosened from grazing lands. Five people died, and damages totaled $34 million.  These strong winds also spread a large fire through the Honda Canyon on Vandenberg Air Force Base in southern California. This fire, which started from a power pole on Tranquillon Ridge being blown over, claimed the lives of Base Commander Colonel Joseph Turner, Fire Chief Billy Bell, and Assistant Fire Chief Eugene Cooper. Additionally, severe burns were experienced by Heavy Equipment Operator Clarence McCauley.  He later died due to complications from the burns.

1983: An extreme bitterly cold air mass continued across much of the U.S. The temperature remained below zero at Denver, CO for 115 consecutive hours; their longest sub-zero period on record. Locations reporting record low temperatures for the date included: International Falls, MN: -40 °F, Bozeman, MT: -36 °F, St. Cloud, MN: -35 °F, Duluth, MN: -34 °F, Casper, WY: -32 °F, Marquette, MI: -28 °F, Rochester, MN: -26 °F, Great Falls, MT: -25 °F, Cheyenne, WY: -25 °F, La Crosse, WI: -24 °F, Scottsbluff, NE: -23 °F: Tied, Waterloo, IA: -20 °F, Rapid City. (Ref. Wilson - Additional Temperatures Listed On This Link)

 

1984: Lili, a rare December hurricane, was officially declared a tropical system in the central Atlantic as a distinct eye type feature was apparent on satellite imagery. The hurricane peaked at sustained 80 mph winds and a pressure of 980 millibars or 28.94 inches of mercury, a very respectable Category 1 Hurricane in December.

1986: An "Alberta Clipper" developed explosively just south of New England and blasted the region with high winds, torrential rain, and heavy snow. Up to 4 inches of rain fell across southern New England and winds frequently gusted to 60 and 70 mph. 30 inches of snow fell in southern Vermont, 24 inches in the higher elevations of western Massachusetts, and 20 inches in parts of New Hampshire. (Ref. Wilson Wx. History)

1987 - Heavy snow fell in the northern mountains of Colorado, with 15 inches reported in the Mary Jane ski area. Strong and gusty winds prevailed from the Northern High Plains to the Great Lakes. Winds gusted to 54 mph at Buffalo NY, and reached 66 mph at Livingston MT. Rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow fell across New England, with up to seven inches of snow in Maine. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1988 - Strong southerly winds ahead of a cold front in the central U.S. gusted to 70 mph at Indianapolis IN. The high winds toppled a masonary wall killing a construction worker. Low pressure and a trailing cold front brought rain and snow and high winds to the western U.S. Winds gusted to 90 mph at the Callahan Ranch south of Reno NV. Soda Springs, in the Sierra Nevada Range of California, received 17 inches of snow in less than 24 hours. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)

1989 - Brutal northwest winds ushered bitter cold arctic air into the north central U.S. International Falls, MN, and Warroad, MN, tied for honors as the cold spot in the nation with morning lows of 34 degrees below zero. Minot ND reported a wind chill reading of 81 degrees below zero. Squalls produced more heavy snow in the Great Lakes Region. Erie PA received 21 inches of snow, including four inches in one hour, to bring their total snow cover to 39 inches, an all-time record for that location. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)

2006 - A major winter storm affected Colorado, dumping several feet of snow on areas of the Rocky Mountains. The snowstorm temporarily closed the Denver International Airport.

[SACRUS]

 

Rainfall:

LGA: 1.31
NYC: 1.18
EWR: 1.10
JFK: 0.9
 

[SACRUS]

 

WC will have the focus on rain the next week

 

[North and West]

Sitting in my car at cel phone lot at jfk.  Blowing so hard the car is shaking

.

[coastalplainsnowman]

2 hours ago, MJO812 said:

He sets an alarm when I post

Snowman posting a laughing emoji to MJO filled me with enough Christmas spirit to make Santa's sleigh fly without a jet engine.

[wthrmn654]

10 hours ago, JerseyWx said:

I assume they put down more salt to account for the quick temperature drop and freeze up?

Ended up with 1.3" here.  Had some heavy downpours at times.  Got a burst around 3:30pm or so with crazy heavy rain for maybe 3 minutes.

Yeah I guess they must of put it down when the ground was wet enough so it all dissolved. 

[wthrmn654]

2 hours ago, [email protected] said:

Just like every year!

January 2nd nothing on the 31st or January 1st

[wthrmn654]

Montauk point lighthouse recorded 83.6mph at 11:00 am yesterday. I just looked at the data.  Quite impressive

[[email protected]]

12 minutes ago, wthrmn654 said:

January 2nd nothing on the 31st or January 1st

Let's hope so. I want nice weather on New Years Eve and day, for once!

[SnowGoose69]

The only thing great at the moment is the WPO maybe heading back into king territory again where it can overwhelm everything else.  Otherwise the other indices do not look particularly great.  That said, I do not see any shutout pattern developing either, it would still be one with chances for snow.

[MJO812]

24 minutes ago, SnowGoose69 said:

The only thing great at the moment is the WPO maybe heading back into king territory again where it can overwhelm everything else.  Otherwise the other indices do not look particularly great.  That said, I do not see any shutout pattern developing either, it would still be one with chances for snow.

NAO and AO look good at the end of this month. Thats our next threat.

[Krs4Lfe]

I’ll be honest, maybe it’s just the pessimistic side of me, but I have 0 confidence in much snow at all this winter. After so many bad winters, I find it plausible that we can have almost a total shutout. I see a strengthening PV coming up after new years, and a -NAO block but no help on pacific side. Long range looks like hot garbage to me, at a time where we are prime for our most snow.  Looks terrible 

[BxEngine]

16 minutes ago, Krs4Lfe said:

I’ll be honest, maybe it’s just the pessimistic side of me, but I have 0 confidence in much snow at all this winter. After so many bad winters, I find it plausible that we can have almost a total shutout. I see a strengthening PV coming up after new years, and a -NAO block but no help on pacific side. Long range looks like hot garbage to me, at a time where we are prime for our most snow.  Looks terrible 

Dude. We HEARD YOU. Please seriously consider going for a walk or something. It doesnt need to be repeated numerous times a day. 

[eduggs]

We haven't had any particularly good setups for snow this late fall and early winter and yet there have been several accumulating snow events, particularly for NW areas. It's a little frustrating to not have any bigger events to track, but I must admit December has felt pretty wintry compared to recent years.

Maybe that continues early Tue... There are some indications of a pretty good burst of snow with cold antecedent conditions. That would continue the trend of sneaking accumulating snow out of a marginally favorable setup.

[psv88]

Nice to have the lawn back. Back to have a catch with the kids, etc

[wthrmn654]

Nws has added the 84.6 wind recorded at montauk point lighthouse at about 36 feet in elevation to the winds. Had to get so much information for them since they didn't have access to weatherlink.